E-40 Ranks His Top 10 Albums

The Bay Area legend may surprise you with his No. 1.

E-40 - If you want to talk about longevity in the hip hop industry, then take a look at Bay Area rapper E-40's career, which he launched in 1990 as a member of The Click with the EP Lets Slide. Since then, he has released 20 albums, beginning with his 1993 solo Federal. He celebrated 20 years in the game with a Vitamin Water collaboration called "40 Water," in November 2007.(Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images for BET)

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E-40 Ranks His Top 10 Albums - It's a rare treat when an artist gets to look back on an illustrious career and let fans know if they really think their last project was their best (for the record, Jay Z lists his last at No. 6 of 12). E-40 is one of those who can do that. He's remained atop his throne as the king of the Bay Area for a couple of decades now, and has released 20 studio albums, a couple collaboration projects and even some EPs along the way. With a catalogue that massive, we had to keep it short, but in an exclusive convo with BET.com, 40 Fonzarelli ranks his top 10 albums. Read on to see if you agree.(Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images for BET)

10. Breakin' News (2003) - With features from the Clipse, DJ Quik and Lil Jon, E-40 offered fans a well-rounded effort on 2003's Breakin' News. "It was real lyrical, that's the main thing that stood out to me about that one," recalled 40. "I flipped a bunch of different styles on there. One song in particular that's always stood out to me was 'That's a Good Look 4 U.'"(Photo: Jive Records) 

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10. Breakin' News (2003) - With features from the Clipse, DJ Quik and Lil Jon, E-40 offered fans a well-rounded effort on 2003's Breakin' News. "It was real lyrical, that's the main thing that stood out to me about that one," recalled 40. "I flipped a bunch of different styles on there. One song in particular that's always stood out to me was 'That's a Good Look 4 U.'"(Photo: Jive Records)

Photo By photo: Jive Records

9. The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil Vol. 4 (2013) - On his 2013 release, The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil Vol. 4, E-40 represented for both the classic and new West Coast. "I brought back that old school to show people that I can still do it," said 40. "I can still flip the old school style from back in the day when you first fell in love with E-40."(Photo: Heavy on the Grind Ent/EMI)

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9. The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil Vol. 4 (2013) - On his 2013 release, The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil Vol. 4, E-40 represented for both the classic and new West Coast. "I brought back that old school to show people that I can still do it," said 40. "I can still flip the old school style from back in the day when you first fell in love with E-40."(Photo: Heavy on the Grind Ent/EMI)

Photo By Photo: Heavy on the Grind Ent/EMI

8. Grit & Grind: The Ballatician (2002) - With the help of one of his favorite producers, E-40 crafted one of the most versatile albums of his career with 2002's Grit & Grind. "It was a transition into the new millennium. I had Rick Rock beats and the styles that I was flippin' on there were quite impressive," remembered 40. "That one had that song, 'The Slap.' I coined that word and can't nobody say I didn't."(Photo: Jive Records)

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8. Grit & Grind: The Ballatician (2002) - With the help of one of his favorite producers, E-40 crafted one of the most versatile albums of his career with 2002's Grit & Grind. "It was a transition into the new millennium. I had Rick Rock beats and the styles that I was flippin' on there were quite impressive," remembered 40. "That one had that song, 'The Slap.' I coined that word and can't nobody say I didn't."(Photo: Jive Records)

Photo By Photo: Jive Records

7. Federal (1993) - Before Kendrick Lamar was even in kindergarten, Earl Stevens had plenty of hustlers thinking rational with his debut LP, Federal.  "It was my first full-length solo album and it was just young E-40. Period," said the Sick Wid It Records CEO.(Photo: Jive Records)

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7. Federal (1993) - Before Kendrick Lamar was even in kindergarten, Earl Stevens had plenty of hustlers thinking rational with his debut LP, Federal. "It was my first full-length solo album and it was just young E-40. Period," said the Sick Wid It Records CEO.(Photo: Jive Records)

Photo By Photo: Jive Records

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6. The Mail Man (1993) - E-40 stepped his game up with the EP The Mail Man, his second solo effort in less than a year. "I was taking bits and pieces of what my creativity was about on that one," said 40. He also noted, "There was a lotta storytelling on that particular album and I like that."(Photo: Sick Wid It Records)  

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6. The Mail Man (1993) - E-40 stepped his game up with the EP The Mail Man, his second solo effort in less than a year. "I was taking bits and pieces of what my creativity was about on that one," said 40. He also noted, "There was a lotta storytelling on that particular album and I like that."(Photo: Sick Wid It Records)

Photo By Photo: Sick Wid It Records

5. Charlie Hustle: The Blueprint of a Self-Made Millionaire (1999) - E-40 always connected with what was going on in the streets and Charlie Hustle was a prime example of that bond. "I had so many songs on there that basically explained how to get outta this situation or that situation," 40 pointed out.(Photo: Sick Wid It Records)

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5. Charlie Hustle: The Blueprint of a Self-Made Millionaire (1999) - E-40 always connected with what was going on in the streets and Charlie Hustle was a prime example of that bond. "I had so many songs on there that basically explained how to get outta this situation or that situation," 40 pointed out.(Photo: Sick Wid It Records)

Photo By Photo: Sick Wid It Records

4. Revenue Retrievin': Day Shift & Night Shift (2010) - With strong singles and a little help from some of his Bay Area brethren, E-40 made it clear on this double album that he was still a force on radio and in the streets. "I had the song 'B---h' on there. I had the 'Art of Storytellin',' which surprisingly a lotta females liked," said the NorCal veteran. "The whole thing was storytellin' at it's best," he boasted.(Photo: Heavy on the Grind Entertainment)

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4. Revenue Retrievin': Day Shift & Night Shift (2010) - With strong singles and a little help from some of his Bay Area brethren, E-40 made it clear on this double album that he was still a force on radio and in the streets. "I had the song 'B---h' on there. I had the 'Art of Storytellin',' which surprisingly a lotta females liked," said the NorCal veteran. "The whole thing was storytellin' at it's best," he boasted.(Photo: Heavy on the Grind Entertainment)

Photo By Photo: Heavy on the Grind Entertainment

3. My Ghetto Report Card (2006) - With the "Hyphy" movement taking over the country, E-40 gave hip hop some of it's most memorable music of 2006 with My Ghetto Report Card. "It was a well balanced album," recalled 40. "It had your uptempo slaps for the 'Hyphy' movement but it also had a lotta Down South records, a little bit of Mob Music and some storytelling. It was timeless music." (Photo: BME Recordings)

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3. My Ghetto Report Card (2006) - With the "Hyphy" movement taking over the country, E-40 gave hip hop some of it's most memorable music of 2006 with My Ghetto Report Card. "It was a well balanced album," recalled 40. "It had your uptempo slaps for the 'Hyphy' movement but it also had a lotta Down South records, a little bit of Mob Music and some storytelling. It was timeless music." (Photo: BME Recordings)

Photo By Photo: BME Recordings

2. In a Major Way (1995) - E-40 put the Bay on his back with his major label debut, In a Major Way. "I was way ahead of my time talkin' about a whole buncha stuff that rappers just started talkin' about," 40 pointed out. He continued, "I was fresh off the independent grind and that was my first album signed to a major label (Jive Records) and it went platinum so I'll never forget that one." (Photo: Jive Records)

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2. In a Major Way (1995) - E-40 put the Bay on his back with his major label debut, In a Major Way. "I was way ahead of my time talkin' about a whole buncha stuff that rappers just started talkin' about," 40 pointed out. He continued, "I was fresh off the independent grind and that was my first album signed to a major label (Jive Records) and it went platinum so I'll never forget that one." (Photo: Jive Records)

Photo By photo: Jive Records

1. The Element of Surprise (1998) - 40-Water was always a great storyteller but on his 1998 album, The Element of Surprise, the boisterous big man spit with an unprecedented amount of angst. "Element of Surprise came at a time when I was mad. I was just on one," 40 revealed. "The beats was bringing it outta me, it was just real beastie. Them Rick Rock beats brought out my best."(Photo: Jive Records)

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1. The Element of Surprise (1998) - 40-Water was always a great storyteller but on his 1998 album, The Element of Surprise, the boisterous big man spit with an unprecedented amount of angst. "Element of Surprise came at a time when I was mad. I was just on one," 40 revealed. "The beats was bringing it outta me, it was just real beastie. Them Rick Rock beats brought out my best."(Photo: Jive Records)

Photo By photo: Jive Records